Santana / UT, USA – February 2, 1973 – Complete Soundboard Edition

This release marks the latest installment in a project dedicated to unearthing treasures from the private archive of a late West Coast collector—a source that has been churning out a steady stream of high-quality recordings. Featured here is a superb stereo soundboard recording of the concert held in Salt Lake City on February 2, 1973. While top-tier Santana soundboard recordings have been surfacing almost weekly of late, they all originate from a prized archive left behind by a dedicated West Coast collector who passed away a few years ago. Before his death, he digitized his lifelong collection and entrusted it to a friend deeply involved in the Bay Area music scene; now, the renowned archival specialists at “JEMS” are meticulously reviewing and releasing this material. When one thinks of Santana in 1973, acclaimed releases like *Providence 1973 Soundboard* and *Sao Paulo 1973 Soundboard* immediately come to mind, yet this particular release holds a unique significance. To explain why, let us first take a broad look at the band’s activities during that period. 1972: Jan. 1 & 28 – North America #1 (2 shows); Sept. 4–Oct. 30 – North America #2 (16 shows) [Oct. 11: *Caravanserai* released]; Nov. 4–Dec. 5 – Europe #1 (25 shows) [incl. Paris 1972, etc.]; Dec. 9–17 – North America #3 (5 shows). 1973: Jan. 18–Apr. 8 / June 21 – North America #4 (48 shows) [←★Here★]; June 27–July 19 – Asia (16 shows) [incl. official *Lotus* release; July 20: *Love Devotion Surrender* released]; July 23–Aug. 8 – Oceania (12 shows); Aug. 12–Sept. 14 – North America #2 (24 shows) [incl. Providence 1973]; Sept. 21–Oct. 21 – Central & South America (21 shows) [incl. São Paulo 1973; Nov. 9: *Welcome* released]; Nov. 13–Dec. 12 – Europe #2 (27 shows); Dec. 31 – San Francisco show. This captures Santana in 1972–1973—a period when, following the completion of *Caravanserai*, the band had undergone a lineup change (with Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie departing and Tom Coster and others joining) and was embarking on a world tour. While their legendary first tour of Japan—which produced the masterpiece *Lotus*—took place during the “Asia” leg in July 1973, the Salt Lake City performance featured here occurred about five months prior to that, marking the fourth show of the 48-date “North America #4” leg. While *Providence 1973* and *Sao Paulo 1973* followed the release of *Love Devotion Surrender*, this recording captures a period when the setlist structure that would evolve into the *Lotus* era was beginning to take shape. A newly unearthed first-generation master that sets a new benchmark for quality. The true highlight of this release—which documents such a remarkable show—is, without a doubt, its sound. Although the soundboard recording from this date has been known previously, this release features a newly discovered master that surpasses all prior versions. Like other titles in the “Ihin” (Legacy) series, this is an incredibly fresh recording; judging by the source, it appears to be a first-generation copy (or perhaps a backup made by the taper themselves). While some masters circulating in the past suffered from the degradation and coarseness caused by repeated dubbing, this release shows absolutely no signs of such artifacts. The sound is lustrous down to the finest detail—simply magnificent. Carlos’s guitar sustains long notes that ring out straight and true, without a hint of distortion, clearly defined right up to the fleeting moment each note fades away. This vivid detail also sharpens the distinct sonic contours characteristic of a soundboard recording. Carlos’s guitar, the keyboards of Tom Coster and Richard Kermode, and the percussion section featuring Peraza, Areas, and Mingo Lewis—even with such a large ensemble layering sounds simultaneously, the instruments never muddy together. The superb separation allows you to hear into every corner of the performance. It offers the intimacy of listening directly to the mixing console’s monitor feed, yet delivers a raw, visceral quality impossible to find in official releases. It is a striking soundboard recording truly worthy of being called “official-grade.” A full show accelerating toward the legendary *Lotus* era. This superb sound quality allows you to experience a full, peak-performance show from the period just before the band’s sound culminated in the masterpiece *Lotus*. Let’s break down the setlist while comparing it to the acclaimed *PARIS 1972 SOUNDBOARD*—another release from the same “Caravanserai Tour” era. The lineup includes: *Lotus* legends—”A-1 Funk” / “Batukada” / “Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba)” / “Castillos de Arena, Pt. 1 (Sand Castle)” / “Free Angela” / “Castillos de Arena, Pt. 2 (Sand Castle)”; *Santana*—”Waiting” / “Savor”; *Abraxas*—”Samba Pa Ti” / “Incident at Neshabur” / “Se A Cabo”; *Caravanserai*—”Every Step of the Way” / “Look Up (To See What’s Coming Down)” (★) / “Just In Time To See The Sun” (★) / “Stone Flower”; *Welcome*—”Going Home” / “Mantra”; *Borboletta*—”Promise of a Fisherman” (★★) / “Aranjuez” (★★); and others—”Bambele” (★) / “Earth” (★) / “Toussaint L’Overture” (★). Note: (★) indicates tracks not found on the classic *Lotus* album; (★★) indicates tracks missing from even the acclaimed *PARIS 1972 SOUNDBOARD*. The show kicks off powerfully with a “Going Home” / “A-1 Funk” / “Every Step of the Way” medley; while it shares the core structure of the official *Lotus* release, it offers a wealth of unique song choices. Of particular note are the two tracks marked (★★)—”Promise of a Fisherman” and “Aranjuez”—a sequence that was absent even from the celebrated *PARIS 1972 SOUNDBOARD*. There is also an abundance of great songs that didn’t make the cut for the official *Lotus* album, such as “Look Up,” “Just In Time To See The Sun,” “Bambele,” “Earth,” and “Toussaint L’Overture.” Listeners can fully enjoy a rich, diverse repertoire that captures the band’s evolution into jazz-rock during this period. This is the latest entry in the “Ihin Master Series” (Legacy Master Series), a collection that has consistently impressed collectors worldwide—a new definitive masterpiece from the “Caravanserai Tour.” This newly unearthed master—free from the dubbing artifacts that rendered previous versions obsolete—allows you to fully savor a scorching performance from the era just prior to the *Lotus* album. It offers the ultimate, authentic soundboard experience, capturing every nuance down to the finest detail. This is a stereo soundboard recording of the February 2, 1973, concert in Salt Lake City. The latest release in the prestigious “JEMS” project to unearth archival masters, this “first-generation” master sets a new benchmark for quality. Completely free of dubbing artifacts, it vividly renders every sound—even the fading decay of Carlos’s sustained guitar notes—and boasts superb instrumental separation that keeps the large ensemble’s sound distinct and uncluttered. Capturing a rich setlist from the pre-*Lotus* period, this release includes tracks like “Promise Of A Fisherman” and “Aranjuez”—songs notably absent from the acclaimed *Paris 1972 Soundboard* release—delivering a vivid, official-quality soundboard experience. Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT, USA – February 2, 1973 (Soundboard). Disc 1 (65:07): 01. Going Home / A-1 Funk / Every Step Of The Way 02. Samba Pa Ti 03. Look Up (To See What’s Coming Down) 04. Just In Time To See The Sun 05. Incident At Neshabur 06. Bambele 07. Stone Flower 08. Batucada 09. Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 10. Stone Flower (Reprise) 11. Waiting 12. Castillos De Arena, Part 1 (Sand Castle). Disc 2 (27:22): 1. Free Angela 2. Promise Of A Fisherman 3. Aranjuez 4. Mantra 5. Castillos De Arena, Part 2 (Sand Castle) 6. Earth 7. Se A Cabo 8. Savor 9. Toussaint L’Overture (Soundboard Recording).